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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitcher · cue · drill · lean · rash · track · bear · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. track — a path
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. cue — for pool
  5. track — a song
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lean — thin
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — a division
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bear — the animal
  14. drill — the tool
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. cue — a signal
  19. drill — a practice
  20. cue — a hint
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — to bend
  23. drill — army training
  24. rash — a series

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com